plangereis

Thanks Stephen and Jeff for your comments.  Boy do I need a new screen/ monitor!  I am attaching a revised version where the light intensity is toned down.  I agree that the highlight areas (goldish areas) may have been a little too hot, so hopefully this new version will have addressed this.  Let me know what you think of the revised version.

Paul

A shot taken in Upper Antelope Canyon. I have been playing in Photoshop

using some actions by Tony Kuyper that I purchased. Let me know what

you think of the processing, and colours. Thanks in advance for your

comments.

Thanks Pierre and Alf.  You are right, Alf, in that these guys were amazing to watch!  Real gymnastic moves combined with dance etc.

Thanks Wanghan.  I took advantage of my 40D, and the 6.5 frames per second at this beach!  All the best my friend.

Thank you Wanghan.  I am really not sure which version I like the best, but as Stephen said, at least I have choice!  Take care.

This is an awesome street image!  I love the juxtaposition of the individual and the activity.  This could be taken in so many ways!  Nice shot.

Paul

Another shot taken on the Strip in Vegas. That place was crazy! Let me

know what you think of this image. Thanks in advance for your

comments.

A shot taken while wandering the Strip in Vegas. Let me know what you

think. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Hi Stephen.  You are so right about the square crop not providing the contest of the tall cliff in which these trees cling to for life.  I like both versions, each for what they do.  It is nice to have the latitude to play with composition, and I have you to thank for that.  I usually tend to process and image, and then figure I am done with it, but that is a limiting attitude.  Take care, my friend.

Thanks Efim.  I wanted to include enough of the slope below the kiosk to reinforce the size and desolate nature of the plateau in this specific area.  Take care.

Thanks Wanghan.  I would agree with you that this is the stronger image.  Take care.

Thanks Wanghan.  I am trying to keep up with your fantastic work!  Take care, and all the best.

Thanks Lalit.  I actually took some of the foreground elements out as I found this made the image seem a little bottom heavy.  Thanks for the suggestion, though.  I will revisit that aspect of this image.  Take care.

A shot taken near the curved bedding panes near Checkerboard Mesa. I

liked the small kiosk with the tree being so isolated and on their own. Let

me know what you think, good or bad.

Thanks Stephen and Jerry.  I am posting a square crop that Jerry suggested.  I also lightened the rocks slightly as Stephen suggested.

This is a fantastic image, Marc.  I was in White Pocket (only for the day, unfortunately), and I think that this is one of the best images that really represents the feeling and mood of this place.  Keep them coming!

Paul

Thanks Efim.

A shot taken early in the morning as I was heading to the Canyon Overlook

just before the tunnel. Let me know what you think of the composition,

and processing. I tried to maintain enough detail in the rocky foreground,

but at the same time keep the foreground somewhat silhouetted against

the early morning sky.

A shot taken late in the day when the sun was catching a section of a

canyon ridge near Zion Narrows. I saw this cloud bank moving quickly

toward this ridge and captured a umber of images like this, but felt this was

the strongest. Let me know what you think of the composition and

processing. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Thanks for your feedback, William.  As I mentioned in the earlier comment, I am quite happy with this image.  I think I go lucky with the clouds and the light that was offered.  I am happy to hear from people's responses so far that I am on the right track with my HDR processing as I am not really a fan of it, but I guess it has its appropriate applications.  Take care.

I was not really thinking a lot of taking a photo of this famous mesa in

Zion, but when I saw that nice sunset light hitting the mesa I had to do it. I

was particularly attracted to how the snow that was left had settled into the

subtle valleys between each "checked" area. Let me know what you think,

good or bad, about the composition and processing.

Thanks for both of your comments, Jeff and Stephen.  I was not sure I was on the right track, and your comments reinforce that I am, at least with this one HDR image.  Jeff, I agree that there is some loss and gain, which you have stated, but like you also mentioned, it is a hard place to get the image right in a single capture, which I also tried and failed, hence the HDR.  I usually do not print over 16"x 20" so I may try getting this printed just to see how the details come out on paper.

Stephen, as always you provide me with the great details and insights from a balanced perspective, which, as you know well, I am very grateful for.  I really had to play with this image in terms of localized exposure adjustments just to make a final decision based on trial and error.  I think I processed this HDR about for or five times so at least I could compare them before I decided on this one.  Yet, I sometimes think that a little more contrast might be nice.  Maybe I will get a print made at the lab I use, and then reevaluate.  

Take care, the two of you, and I wish you both al the best in your photographic endeavours, as well as life in general.

Paul

I shot this while on a trip to the Southwest USA. We got there at sunset,

which I found out was not the ideal time to be there (sunrise is supposed to

be better). Anyway, I knew I would not be back to this area as we had

tours with a guide planned for all the time we were in Page. I used

Photomatix to do an HDR rendition, which I usually hesitant to do, because

the tonal range was so extreme. Even using a reverse grad ND filter only

helped to a certain extent with the sky exposure. What are your thoughts

on this image? Is the processing horrible, or over the top? Let me know.

Thanks for the comments, Stephen.  You have an amazingly good eye for those small details that can improve images.  I will try to make the changes you suggest, and post the new version this evening.  All the best.

Paul

Once again you make some extremely valid points, Stephen.  I am most likely going to put together a book on the Southwest trip, and if I do I will definitely include more panoramic photos from this area to provide the context.  You are really giving me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate your feedback.  Thanks for this.